Vacuum cleaner provided with a fine dust filter in the outgoing air flow

ABSTRACT

A vacuum cleaner includes a fine dust filter disposed in an exhaust air stream of a suction fan of the vacuum cleaner. A filter cartridge receptacle configured to replaceably receive the fine dust filter is provided. A lip seal is circumferentially disposed in a space between a lateral edge of the filter cartridge receptacle and a lateral edge of the fine dust filter.

The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner having a fine dust filter provided in the exhaust air stream of the suction fan, the fine dust filter being replaceably disposed in a filter cartridge chamber on the vacuum cleaner with interposition of a sealing element.

German Patent Application DE 34 04 395 A1 describes a vacuum cleaner having a dust filter bag provided in the suction air stream of the suction fan, a fine dust filter being replaceably disposed in series with the dust filter bag in a separate filter housing. Smallest impurities which are not retained by the dust bag are filtered out of the exhaust air stream of the vacuum cleaner by the after-filter. In this design, the sealing element is disposed on the face, i.e., on the underside, of the cartridge-like fine dust filter and seals the fine dust filter with respect to the vacuum cleaner housing. In this embodiment, the fine dust filter may be lifted in the filter receptacle by the positive pressure of the exhaust air stream, whereby the sealing effect is reduced and fine dust may enter the exhaust air stream.

German Patent DE 42 40 172 C2 discloses a vacuum cleaner having a fine dust filter provided in the exhaust air stream, said fine dust filter also being disposed in a filter cartridge chamber on the vacuum cleaner. The filter cartridge chamber is covered by the housing cover of the vacuum cleaner. The sealing element is also disposed on the underside of the cartridge-like fine dust filter and seals the fine dust filter with respect to the vacuum cleaner housing. Here too, the fine dust filter may be lifted in the filter receptacle by the positive pressure of the exhaust air stream, whereby the sealing effect is reduced and fine dust may enter the exhaust air stream.

German Patent DE 30 31 024 C2 discloses a vacuum cleaner having a seal disposed in a gap between the edge of the housing opening and the associated cover, said seal being attached by its base to the edge of the housing opening or to the cover. The sealing lip is connected by its base to the inner edge of the housing opening on the upper face of the housing, so that the seal is raised by the negative pressure developing in the interior. Such a sealing arrangement is provided to keep the force required to be applied when closing the cover as small as possible, while still permitting compensation for manufacturing tolerances in the sealing gap, the sealing lip is held at its base outside the opposed sealing surfaces of the housing cover and the housing opening. Such a face-mounted seal including a seal base and a lip seal held outside the sealing surfaces is not suitable for a fine dust filter disposed in the exhaust air stream of a vacuum cleaner.

In view of the above, it is an object of the present invention to provide an effective sealing arrangement for a fine dust filter disposed in the exhaust air stream of a vacuum cleaner, while avoiding the above-described disadvantages.

This object is achieved in accordance with the present invention by a vacuum cleaner having the features of Claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and refinements of the present invention will be apparent from the following dependent claims.

One particular advantage that can be achieved with the present invention is that a sealing lip is disposed in the lateral space between the filter cartridge receptacle and the fine dust filter. The sealing lip is disposed in said space such that it is biased therein. When the fine dust filter is lifted in the filter cartridge receptacle by the positive pressure of the exhaust air stream, the sealing lip, which is biased against the filter receptacle or the filter cartridge (Claim 2 or Claim 6), rises in the exhaust air stream. Due to the special design of the filter cartridge receptacle and the fine dust filter, the sealing effect increases with increasing exhaust air pressure.

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown in the drawings in a purely schematic way and will be described in more detail below. In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a view of a vacuum cleaner having a fine dust filter provided in the exhaust air stream, showing the cover in an open position;

FIG. 2 is a view illustrating the arrangement of the fine dust filter in the filter cartridge receptacle;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the lip seal as a detail X, mounted on the fine dust filter in accordance with variant I;

FIG. 4 is a detail view showing the lip seal mounted on the fine dust filter in accordance with variant II;

FIG. 5 is a detail view showing the lip seal mounted on the filter cartridge receptacle;

FIG. 6 is a view illustrating the fine dust filter.

In FIG. 1, a vacuum cleaner, in this case a canister vacuum cleaner (1), having a fine dust filter (3) provided in the exhaust air stream is shown with the housing cover (2) in an open position. Housing (4) of canister vacuum cleaner (1) is divided into a motor fan chamber (6) and a dust collection chamber (5) which is accessible via housing cover (2). Fine dust filter (3) is disposed in a filter cartridge receptacle (7) in the exhaust air stream emerging from motor fan chamber (6). Fine dust filter (3) is configured in a cartridge-like manner and is secured in position in filter cartridge receptacle (3) by projections (8) (shown in greater detail in FIG. 2) on housing cover (2) when housing cover (2) is in a closed position. A lip seal (9) is circumferentially disposed in the space between the lateral edge of filter cartridge receptacle (7) and the lateral edge of fine dust filter (3). In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2, lip seal (9) is attached at seal base (10) in a circumferential receiving means (11) on the lateral edge of fine dust filter (3).

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of detail X, showing the circumferential lip seal (9) in the gap between filter cartridge receptacle (7) and fine dust filter (3). The edge of filter cartridge receptacle (7) extends substantially at an angle α with respect to the lateral edge of fine dust filter (3). Lip seal (9) is disposed at an angle β with respect to the lateral edge of fine dust filter (3). By matching the angles α and β, lip seal (9) is disposed with a bias “V” in filter cartridge receptacle (7) and seals the fine dust filter in the receptacle. The positive pressure in motor fan chamber (6) further presses lip seal (9) against the contact surface of filter cartridge receptacle (7). The contact pressure increases as the positive pressure in motor fan chamber (6) increases. The sealing effect is maintained even when fine dust filter (3) is slightly lifted in filter cartridge receptacle (7).

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of lip seal (9). Lip seal (9) is injection-molded onto a circumferential rib (12) of fine dust filter (3).

FIG. 5 illustrates the arrangement of lip seal (9) on a rib (13) circumferentially provided on filter cartridge receptacle (7). Lip seal (9) can also be injection-molded thereon.

FIG. 6 is a detail view of fine dust filter (3). Fine dust filter (3) is configured in a cartridge-like manner and includes a filter housing (14) in which is disposed a filter element (15). Lip seal (9) is secured by seal base (10) in a receiving means (11) circumferentially provided on the lateral edge of filter housing (14) of fine dust filter (3). 

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a fine dust filter disposed in an exhaust air stream of a suction fan of the vacuum cleaner; a filter cartridge receptacle configured to replaceably receive the fine dust filter; and a lip seal circumferentially disposed in a space between a lateral edge of the filter cartridge receptacle and a lateral edge of the fine dust filter.
 12. The vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 11 wherein the lip seal is circumferentially disposed on the lateral edge of the fine dust filter so as to rest with a bias “V” against the lateral edge of the filter cartridge receptacle.
 13. The vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 12 wherein the fine dust filter has a cartridge-like configuration and includes a filter housing having a filter element disposed therein, the lip seal being circumferentially disposed on a lateral frame edge of the filter housing.
 14. The vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 12 wherein the lip seal is injection-molded onto a rib of the fine dust filter.
 15. The vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 13 wherein the lip seal is injection-molded onto a rib of the fine dust filter.
 16. The vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 12 wherein the lip seal is secured in a lateral circumferential receiving device of the fine dust filter.
 17. The vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 13 wherein the lip seal is secured in a lateral circumferential receiving device of the fine dust filter.
 18. The vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 11 wherein the lip seal is circumferentially disposed on the lateral edge of the filter cartridge receptacle so as to rest with a bias against the lateral edge of the fine dust filter.
 19. The vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 18 wherein the lip seal is injection-molded onto the lateral edge of the filter cartridge receptacle.
 20. The vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 18 wherein the lip seal is secured in a lateral circumferential receiving device.
 21. The vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 18 wherein the lip seal is disposed on a circumferential rib of the filter cartridge receptacle.
 22. The vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 18 wherein the lip seal is injection-molded on a circumferential rib of the filter cartridge receptacle. 